--- title: Guidance for the safe and optimized operation of waste rocks facilities (Disponible en anglais seulement) date: 2018-11-02T13:38:00-04:00 author: jessica napert canonical_url: "https://www.bbaconsultants.com/fr-ca/publications/guidance-for-the-safe-and-optimized-operation-of-waste-rocks-facilities-disponible-en-anglais-seulement" section: Publications --- 1. Failure of Waste Rock Facilities (WRF) can be a major concern because it can put human life and surrounding environment at extreme risk. As such, waste rock piles should be considered structures, and rigorous attention should be afforded in design and operation of WRF. Selecting an appropriate operational strategy can greatly lessen the risks involved. The important aspects in the operational phase of a WRF, which impact the stability, include the use of appropriate design criteria, waste material segregation, and rate of deposition, operational load, operational manual, deposition plan and instrumentation. This paper discusses, in detail, the importance of operational parameters and how these can be controlled to reduce the overall risk associated with such facilities. It further discusses the importance of integrating design into deposition plans, the use of operational manuals to document good operating practices and the supervision of ongoing operations. Note that this white paper was the subject of a presentation at the Tailings and Mine Waste’18 Conference in Colorado State University. Ce contenu est fourni uniquement à des fins d’information générale. Tous droits réservés ©BBA 1. ![José Antonio Vides](https://www.assets.bbaconsultants.com/bba-production-assets/production/images/avatars/_size_avatar/3209/Jose-Antonio-Vides.webp) José Antonio Vides, ing., M.ing. Ingénieur sénior, Sol et infrastructure [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseantoniovides/) 2. ![Luciano Piciacchia](https://www.assets.bbaconsultants.com/bba-production-assets/production/images/avatars/_size_avatar/3206/Luciano-Piciacchia.webp) Luciano Piciacchia, ing., Ph. D. Expert-conseil senior, Sol et Infrastructure [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucianopiciacchia/) - [ 17 août 2026 Phase de base de l'ingénierie structurelle: créer de la valeur dès les premières décisions - ![Nicolas Samson](https://www.assets.bbaconsultants.com/bba-production-assets/production/images/avatars/_size_avatar/197852/Nicolas-Samson.webp) Nicolas Samson, ing. Ingénieur sénior, Structure ](https://www.bbaconsultants.com/fr-ca/perspectives/phase-de-base-ingenierie-structurelle-creer-valeur-des-les-premieres-decisions "Phase de base de l'ingénierie structurelle: créer de la valeur dès les premières décisions") - [ 12 août 2026 Les quatre erreurs qui nuisent à la performance future d'un actif industriel - ![Caroline provost](https://www.assets.bbaconsultants.com/bba-production-assets/production/images/avatars/_size_avatar/208557/Caroline-provost.webp) Caroline Provost ing. Directrice, Mise en œuvre de stratégie d’opération ](https://www.bbaconsultants.com/fr-ca/perspectives/quatre-erreurs-qui-nuisent-a-la-performance-future-dun-actif-industriel "Les quatre erreurs qui nuisent à la performance future d'un actif industriel") - [ 27 juill. 2026 Mines et métaux Vos décisions liées aux résidus miniers influencent la performance à long terme - ![Geraldine Cosset](https://www.assets.bbaconsultants.com/bba-production-assets/production/images/avatars/_size_avatar/206707/Geraldine-Cosset.webp) - ![Jared Purdy](https://www.assets.bbaconsultants.com/bba-production-assets/production/images/avatars/_size_avatar/212424/Jared-Purdy.webp) ](https://www.bbaconsultants.com/fr-ca/perspectives/decisions-liees-aux-residus-miniers-influencent-performance-long-terme "Vos décisions liées aux résidus miniers influencent la performance à long terme") - [ 02 juill. 2026 Mines et métaux Python : un outil clé pour l’analyse des données en traitement des minerais - ![Charles Blais](https://www.assets.bbaconsultants.com/bba-production-assets/production/images/avatars/_size_avatar/211197/Charles-Blais.webp) - ![Juan Pablo Vergara](https://www.assets.bbaconsultants.com/bba-production-assets/production/images/avatars/_size_avatar/211266/Juan-Pablo-Vergara.webp) ](https://www.bbaconsultants.com/fr-ca/perspectives/python-un-outil-cle-pour-analyse-donnees-en-traitement-minerais "Python : un outil clé pour l’analyse des données en traitement des minerais") [ Voir tout ](https://www.bbaconsultants.com/fr-ca/perspectives "Aller à la page Publications") Poussons la réflexion ensemble [ Contactez-nous ](https://www.bbaconsultants.com/fr-ca/contact) 1. Failure of Waste Rock Facilities (WRF) can be a major concern because it can put human life and surrounding environment at extreme risk. As such, waste rock piles should be considered structures, and rigorous attention should be afforded in design and operation of WRF. Selecting an appropriate operational strategy can greatly lessen the risks involved. The important aspects in the operational phase of a WRF, which impact the stability, include the use of appropriate design criteria, waste material segregation, and rate of deposition, operational load, operational manual, deposition plan and instrumentation. This paper discusses, in detail, the importance of operational parameters and how these can be controlled to reduce the overall risk associated with such facilities. It further discusses the importance of integrating design into deposition plans, the use of operational manuals to document good operating practices and the supervision of ongoing operations. Note that this white paper was the subject of a presentation at the Tailings and Mine Waste’18 Conference in Colorado State University. Ce contenu est fourni uniquement à des fins d’information générale. Tous droits réservés ©BBA